We Won't Be Seventeen Forever
by cupcakesandlovefests
Summary: What would've happened in 3x08 if they hadn't of sang We Are Young. Faberry as always,you know the drill.


"There is one thing you can do for me"

Her mind is screaming a million different things at once and she's reminded of a time Finn said something similar and she blurted out the word 'elope'.

She doesn't want to embarrass herself, not now it's been defined that she and Quinn really are friends, even though she's wished it could be more. So she settled on nodding.

"Leave Finn" Quinn says quietly.

She frowns, after everything she was really prepared to go back and take her boyfriend once again? Sure she'd done it before but hadn't they been doing this back and forth way too long to be healthy?

"Why? He's staying here in Lima, Quinn"

"I know" the blonde replies calmly, "but you aren't"

She's confused. What has this got to do with Quinn wanting Finn?

"Neither are you"

Quinn smiles.

"I know"

She sighs in exasperation, she's confused and it's a feeling she really despises. It's also way too familiar in the Quinn-Rachel dynamic.

"I'm so confused, Quinn. Can you just tell me what you're trying to say here?" she says leaning back into her seat comfortably.

The blonde shifts nervously, tucks a stray strand of short hair behind her ear before placing her hands on the arm of the chair.

"Leave Finn...he doesn't deserve you and you know things will end badly because no matter what he's going to try to convince you to stay here"

She smiles, Quinn is looking out for her. It's nice.

"It's sweet of you to look out for me, Quinn but me staying here has never been an option. New York is where I've always wanted to be and after graduation it's where I will be"

Quinn gazes at her – dare she say it- adoringly.

"I've always admired that about you, your ambition and certainty" she pauses and looks away making the brunette even more anxious to know what she has to say.

"Do you know how far Yale is from New York City? 69.7 miles"

Rachel chuckles.

"That's oddly specific, but what's that got-"

The blonde stares her right in the eyes and she swears she notices a slight lip quiver.

"I'd be less than two hours away from you, Rachel"

She wants to say something back but her throat has gone completely dry and she gulps again to try and alleviate the problem.

Quinn's eyes look glassy and she's pursing her lips.

"You're the one person that constantly sees the good in me. You're the only one that ever thinks to tell me that I'm worth more than my looks. You're the only person that believes in me enough to think I can get out of here" her voice cracks and she takes a deep breath, "you're the only person other than my own daughter that makes me feel, Rachel"

The brunette's stomach is filled with butterflies and her heart is rattling behind her ribcage like a caged animal.

"Please say something"

Her mouth opens before closing again; she shuts her eyes tightly before reopening them.

"I..i'm speechless" she says, surprised herself.

Quinn smiles and leans over as Rachel looks to her lap.

"I want to be with you" she whispers.

Rachel's fingers dig in to the fabric of the seat as her eyes grow wide and she just stares at Quinn blinking occasionally.

"Wh why?"

The blonde shakes her head and taps the girl's hand nearest to her.

"Have you listened to any of the things I've been saying? And it's not like this is even a recent thing, Rachel. For so long I bullied you and denied you, denied myself, but I just can't any more" she sighs.

"After watching everything Santana's been through..I just couldn't lie any more. I want to be with you, and I know you feel something for me too"

She looked a little scared, how had she figured that out?

"How?"

"I can see it every time you look at me or offer me friendship or even say my name, and when I say yours you look at me like I'm the only person to ever utter it. And it does something to me" she chuckles softly.

"I guess subtlety has never really been my strongest point" Rachel admits and laughs nervously.

"So, what now?" Quinn asks.

"I'm still with Finn and I don't want to hurt him, but I can't lead him into thinking this will ever be more than a high school fling. I'll have to break it to him gently and not rush into something new, but we can be friends Quinn. We can stop each other from going off the deep end"

"I'd like that" the taller girl answers as they both stand.

"I'm going to hug you now" Rachel says before draping herself around Quinn.

They fit like pieces of a puzzle. How had they not hugged before now?

"I think I've just been converted to a hugger" Quinn says gently as they pull apart, Rachel giggles.

"It'll be nice having you close, you know when we leave here" she says shyly.

"I know what you mean" the blonde smiles. "Well, I'll let you get back to Finn"

"Quinn"

She turns around in the doorway.

"It's okay, Rach. We won't be seventeen forever"

**Two years later;**

There's a knock at the door of her dorm, she eyes the clock and shakes her head before setting her coffee cup down on the table.

She pulls open the door and a smile instantly finds its way on to her face, of course it would be her at this time of the morning.

"I know it's early but I haven't been to sleep and I have that audition later today and I just wanted to see you" the voice babbles before Quinn pulls her inside closing the door behind them.

"How many cups of coffee have you had?" she asks, amused as she watches Rachel practically bouncing on her toes.

"I lost count after cup number five, speaking of numbers I memorized four hundred words this morning, can you believe that? I couldn't forget them now even if I tried, it doesn't help that it's the most distracting piece of dialogue to have floating around in your head"

Quinn yawns before jumping on to her couch patting the seat next to hers.

"Do I want to know? And dare I offer you anything?"

Rachel plops down next to her and pulls off her coat.

"It's a little raunchy, you might not appreciate it this early in the morning. And no thank you"

Quinn snorts.

"Was that your way of saying you don't think I'm a morning person?"

"That was my way of saying…" she trails off distractedly as she looks around the room, "Quinn do you ever tidy this place?"

She gets a playful smack with a pillow.

"I had planned to you know if I'd of had more of a lie in, thank you very much" she retorts quirking an eyebrow and Rachel blushes slightly.

"Sorry, but you did say if I needed you to come over"

"In an emergency! I'm almost 2 hours from your place, Rachel"

"It is an emergency, I cannot sleep!"

"Ohhh so that's why you're here, you want to sleep with me"

The air in the room is suddenly thick.

Quinn taps her knee and Rachel wets her lips.

"I..well..this is awkward" the brunette laughs nervously.

"It's..fine" Quinn assures her as she ignores the warmth swirling through her stomach, "so what do you say to trying to get a few hours?"

She takes the still blushing diva through to her bedroom and rifles through her drawers for a long shirt, comfier and less distracting than the one the girl already has on.

"Go change" she smiles before pulling back the covers.

By the time Rachel is back the blonde has already got into bed and drifted off, the pint sized girl delicately pulls the cover back on the opposite side quickly sliding in beside her.

Quinn doesn't stir and she breathes a sigh of relief, she turns on to her side facing her and can't resist the urge to bury her nose in that golden hair, still short but longer than it was senior year.

There's a soft sigh and Rachel smiles.

"Sorry" she whispers and gently strokes a soft pale arm.

"Nice" the blonde murmurs and pushes their bodies closer together.

A soft 'oh' leaving Rachel's mouth as Quinn's back meets her chest, she silently wills her body not to respond, but as always it does.

Quinn's eyes opened as soon as the diva's body met hers, she bites her lip and concentrates on her breathing.

She feels Rachel sit up and exhale shakily, possibly running a hand through her hair.

"This wasn't a good idea, sharing a bed with so much unsolved tension between us. Oh god, I need to leave. I can't have Quinn thinking I just want to sleep with her" she hears whispered.

She closes her eyes again.

"Rach" she calls softly, Rachel freezes.

"Y-yes?"

"Are you ever going to kiss me?"


End file.
